Food Photography Lighting & Styling

In today’s foodie/cellphoneography/Instagram world, everyone is a food photographer. It’s almost customary to take a photo of your food before digging in. Some restaurants have even had to instate a “no photography” policy because patrons complain about the constant flash of cameras.

Food photography, however, plays a huge role across many different businesses. Previously limited to the food industry (restaurants, markets, specialty food stores) and food-dedicated publications, food photography now spans a wide breath of editorial publications and commercial/advertising campaigns. 

Bottom line? No matter what kind of photographer you call yourself, it’s advantageous to have some food photography skills under your belt. You’ll also want to stand out from the crowd of amateur food photographers – showing clients that you have the experience and know-how to deliver the best images.

If you’re relatively new to the world of food photography, or just looking to brush up on your skills, start with lighting technique – specifically natural light. Like all photography, mastering lighting will ultimately take your creativity up a notch.

1. Always keep white and silver bounce cards in your lighting kit

One essential piece of equipment in your lighting kit should be white and silver bounce cards, used to gently fill in any harsh shadows caused by window light. Ricky Rhodes advises photographers to use these cards to bring details back into the deep shadows, ultimately adding more color and texture to your images. The bounce cards are also important because you should rarely be shooting into direct sunlight. You want to avoid too much contrast so that food looks soft and elegant. You can also use the bounce cards to direct more light onto the image to highlight certain features and make your photos “pop”  

2. Bring your focal point forward

The focal point of any great food image is the dish itself. Props and garnishes can help tell the food’s story, but they should never distract from the main event. Ricky Rhodes suggests focusing near the front edge of the food. This naturally draws the viewer in to the rest of the frame. You also typically want to shoot with the aperture wide open to deliver shallow depth of field and isolate the food in your frame.

3. When in doubt, shoot overhead

Many amateur photographers fall into the trap of shooting food from an angle that makes it look like it’s about to slide off the plate (like this shot). Shooting overhead not only eliminates that possibility, but it also gives you more flexibility to add props to the frame.

4. Mimic natural light

Not every day will be sunny – you know that, and your client knows that, but that can’t stop the shoot. Mimicking natural light is an art form in itself, and you’ll need a few extra lighting tools. If possible bring portable lighting kit with a large softbox, which acts as a big portable window when shooting on a cloudy day.

To help give your food photography a fresh and natural perspective, try shoot directly into the light. Then the dish appears in front of a completely blow out background with lovely rim light. This technique works well with translucent foods like lettuce leaves and drinks. The result is a night highlight that outlines dishes and makes your images more vibrant.

6. Compliment food with props of similar colors and interesting textures

Food photography is often about telling a story. Who made this? What’s the occasion? What season it is? The right props can help you share this story – just beware of going overboard.

Try picking one standout color from the dish – say the strawberries in a strawberry rhubarb pie – and adding a small element that incorporates that color. It could be the paper that your dish sits on, dusted powdered sugar on the table, orange slices, a wooden cutting board, or a cup of coffee.

7. Make minimal adjustments in post to remove distractions

Much like photojournalists, professional food photographers prize themselves on little-to-no post-production. That being said, if a few crumbs or blemishes on the surface material are distracting, by all means remove them in Photoshop. You can also make some minimal adjustments to levels and curves, and color balance in Lightroom to get the exposure where you want it.